An Historical Owerviev

Prehistory and Antiquity

The oldest traces of settements in the territory of the city come from the
more recent period of the Stone Age and they consist of modest findings
of tools in various parts of the city.
A number of remainds come from the period of urn burial places, dating
betwen 1200 BC and
700 BC. Some of the findings were in today's Mladinska ulica, on Pobrežje,
in Spodnje Radvanje and on the eastern slopes of Pohorje. After the VIII
century BC, the inhabitants moved, due to raids, to the safer slopes of
Pohorje, where the settlement of Poštela was erected, protected by a dam.
A few Celtic findings from the IV century BC are known in Razvanje, Pivola
and Pobrežje. Celts had evidently dominated over the older settles, the
Illyrians. During Roman times, no magor settlement appeared on the
territory of the city, though roads betwen Petovio/ Ptuj and Carinthia and
the one city, though roads betwen Celea / Celje towards the north crossed
each othe. Rare traces of invidual buildings have been so far uncovered in
the area of the present Glavni trg ( Main square ) and on the south end of
the Maribor lowlands, where a Roman plantation was located. During the
period of the migration of peoples in the IV century AD, the inhabinats
moved again to the neighbouring foothills.

Middle Ages
In the times of Roman rule and the migration of peoples and during the
settlement of the ancestors of present Slovenians, the Maribor region was
of lesser importance. It was only with the arrival of Hungarians in to
Pannonian lowlands, and with their invasions into Frankish state, that the
Maribor region gains a new importance. In order to protect Carinthia from
Hungarian raids, the Carinthian Duke Bernhard Spanheim ordered a
fortification to be built o Piramida ( the hill overlooking by Maribor ),
closing the entrance to the Drava valley and further towards Carinthia. The
fortification or castle was named »city in the Mark« ( Mark being a frontier
county in the Frankish state) – »Burg in der Mark« and in 1164 it is tury the
village was elevanted to the status of market town ( 1209 ).
In 1254 it is mentioned for the first time as a city. The settlement had, of
course, had a of course had a German name, which had changed from
Burg in der. It soon became admistritative seat of the land judiciary, whele
before 1198 had the seat of parish. »Mark in Markpurg – Markburg«.
Maribor, the Slovenian name of the city, came about in 1836, due to
national defence motives, in confrotation with an ever graver and planned
germanisation. It soon became the seat of parish. A group of houses
betwen the Port and Koroška cesta formed the nucles a rapid growth in
commerce and this, the flourishing of the city.
 During the XII and the XIII century the city expanded into the area of
Koroška cesta, Glavni trg and Židovska ( Jewish ) ulica. In the middle of the
XV century, the city comprised 185 houses and 1000 inhibitants. In the
second half of the XIII century, it had recived some 2 km's lenght of walls:
the Drava gate towards thr south, Koroška ( Carinthian ) gate towards the
east along the present-day Svetozarevska ulica' nad Ulrik's of Graška
( Graz ). Gate toward the north east. The city walls were located east along
the present Gregorčičeva ulica, in the west along the present
Strossmayerjeva ulica and in the south along the present Usnjarska
( Leather – Dressers' ) ulica an further along Lent to the Sodni stolp
( Judicial Tower ). Not until the XVI century was the defence of the city
transferred to the south, to the Stolp ( the Water Tower ). And the no
longer standing Mariborske Benetke ( Maribor's Venice ). From the exent of
the city walls, it is athose times, as the entire surface inside the walls did
not surpass 25 hectares.
With the appearance of Dravska ( Drava ) Street and Gosposka
( Gentlemen's street ), Glavni trg ( Main square ) became the city centre.
Jews, already mentioned in 1317, as residing in the ghetto and sented an
important economic factor. Their expulsion in 1497 meant a diminution of
the city's economic power.When the Hasburgs acquired Carinthia in 1335,
wine commerce had developed in Maribor, giving the town a boost. A
crisis, which began in the XV century and wich lasted until the XVIII
century, was caused by the growth of rual craft and commerce, by foreign
merchants, who took over transit commerce, by anumeros fires in the XV,
XVI and XVII centuries as well as by the sieges byHungarians and Turks in
XVII century. The plague, which had appeared in the then population. The
crisis aggravated by the competition from Ptuj, as Ptuj competed with
Maribor during the intire Middle Ages, particulary as regards wine
commerce. In the XVI and XVII century the towns were as its fall in the XVII
century, when all its pratitioners were expelled from Betnava as well.

Recent Times ( until the XIX Century )

The city made little headway until the XVIII century. Among economic
activities, only leather- processing and milling activities flourished. On
Drava, a port for small boats existed, tied to wood transprtattion towards
the east. Rafting was conductive to catering and wood warehouses on the
Drava.
Craftsmen, who tranded with their products as well and who were
numerous than pure merchants, were intially organised into fraternities,
later into guilds.The names of city streets recollect craftsmen ( Mesarski
prehod / Butcher's Passway ), Splavarska ulica / Raftsmen Street ) Mlinska
ulica / Mill street ) and etc. In 1732, the guilds began to be controled by
the state, and in the second half of the XVIII century, the municipal
entrance duty was changed into a uniform state customs duty. All this
caused capital concentration and commerce development to evolve in
Maribor, though at the beginning of the XVIII century, there had still been
120 craftsmen as compared to only 15 merchants. The appearance of the
free port of Trst / Triest, gave a further impetus to the city. In the XVIII
century, Maribor received its academic secondary shool ( Gimnasium ), the
first major manufacturing plant and a plant for the production of military
cloting. After 1810 the first food processing plants ( a liquor factory, a
factory of coffie surogates ) had aappeared. In 1767 the first Slovenian
book was published in 1795 and the forst printing house was been a
founded.

The XIX Century

Maribor arhived its decisive period of develompment in the XIX century.
At the brginning of the XIX century, Maribor was asmall town with rural
characteristics, stillclosely limited to its medevial nucleus. Thus, in 1789
the town numbered 235 houses with 2150 inhabitants and in 1851, along
with the adjacent communities ( Koroško, Graško and Magdalensko
community ) 516 houses with 4168 inhabitants. It was not until the third
decade of the XIX century that the city gates at the entraces to the town
were pulled down (Graty Savings Bank ) and Koroška Gate betwen Koroška
cesta and Vodnikov trg ) and the greater part of the city walls, which had
lost their defensive function at the time.
With pulling down of the city gates and of a part of the city walls, free
traffic became possible and this traffic gradually expaded , due to the city
economic development. From the middle XVIII century to the end of
feudalism in 1848, Maribor underwent a transitional economic period. At
the end of the XVIII century and agrarian region. Feudal property ralations
predominated, with bondsmen peasants. Only small land plots were
cultivated by the manors of Maribor, Viltuš, Raki dvor, Radvanje and
Pohorski dvor themselfs. Wine-growing was a major agricultural activity,
producting significant market surplaces. Wine commerce was linked
primarily to Carinthia, Carniola and Upper Styria. Wine commerce was the
main activity in Maribor's exports. Beside wine, Maribor merchants sold
goods to such far away places, as Carniola and Trst/Triest. Centrals,
tanning agents, iron, leather, timber and glass were among these goods.
Nevertheless, crafts were the major economic activity in the city at the
end of the XVIII and at the begining of the XIX century.

The Railway and Manufacturing

At the time, the greatest impetus given to the Maribor economic
development came from the construction of the railway Vienna – Maribor -
Ljubljana. Trst / Triest ( Trieste ), wich reached the city in 1846. Maribor's
commerce with Carinthia had demaded in 1863 the construction of railway
along the Drava Valley to Celovec/Klagenfurt. Thus, the Soutern and the
Carinthian railways stimulated the transmormation of craft into factory
activites. Leather processing factories appeared, beer brewing crafts
evolved into the Tappeiner beer brewery and Tscheiligi brewery on Koroška
street. Two steam mills came about on the present Svetozarevska street
( ulica ) and at Melje. Soap production developed at Melje, a predecessor
of the present Henkel – Zlatorog ( before only Zlatorog ( goldhorn). A
sausage factory came about on the present Šentiljska road, in Košaki
there was a brick factory , while on the present Tržaška ( Triest road )
cesta, there was a factory of syntethic grindstones. The most significant
factory in Maribor in the XIX century was the railway workshop, which
began to operate on 1863 and influenced the develompment of the city
surroudings.
Some public enterprises came about as well: a gas factory ( 1870 ), the
city water supply ( 1901 ), a milk processing factory ( 1907 ) A rapid
develompment of the city demanded construction activites a new areas.
Thus, in the latter half of the XIX century, Maribor was expanding into the
area betwen Partizanska cesta ( road ) , Tomšičeva cesta and the Main
Railway Station and the city park, which being formed in the 1870's.
The second area of intensive, construction was the part betwen the
Drava, the southern railway, Metelkova cesta ( road ) and the railway
workshop. The citypark was joined in the 1980's by a the tree planted
Tomšičev Avenue, and by parks on the present Maistrov, Kidričev and
Slomškov trg. ( squares ). Railway workshop.
Along the Carinthian railway station gave Studenci a strong working
class character, influencing the neighbouring settlements ( Radvanje,
Nova vas ( New willage ) as well. The only major Maribor construction until
then – the railway bridge across Drava river – was joined in 1913 by
another bridge, linking Magdalensko naselje ( community ) to Glavni Trg
( The main square ) , thereby cutting off Pristan ( The Port ) from the
magor road communication.

The Military, the Judiciary and the Administration

In the second half of the XIX century, the city became an ever greater
»Barracs«, as towards the end Habsburg rule, the largest garrison in
Slovenian Styria was stationed here. Betwen the years 1853 and 1869 and
later as of 1894 until the end of World War I, a military school ( Kadetnica )
( later titled Superiur Secondary Military Shcool ) was stationed here. After
1850, numerous military facilities were built in the city; the above
mentioned military academy, terrtiorial army barracs at Mele, Calvary
barracs in the present Jezdarska (Horsemen's street ) ulica, artilery barracs
in the present Ljubljanska ulica, a food warehouse in the Ob Železnici ( By
the Railway street ) and military hospital.
The political and judicial authorities werw maily stationed betwen the old
city and the Main Railway Station. It was officialdom tween the old city
and the military which strengthened the German municipality carefully
followed state policy,as far filling official posts was concerned and
protested against the appointments of Slovenian officials, as it assesed
that Germanhood in the city was treatened by this. Whitin its possibilites ,
the municipality strengthned the German appearance of the city, amongst
other things, by allowing only German inscriptions in public places. In
govermnt offies, beside German, the Slovenian language was in use, as
well. It is a possible to ascetain from judical registers, that in the official
communication with parties from Maribor judical district countryside, the
use of a Slovenian language was ever more in effect.
Since the middle of the XIX century , the first financial institutions ( saving
institution banks ) were founded in Maribor. In 1861, the City Saving Bank
was founded, wich had in the 1880's, at the Western part of the present
Slomškov trg ( square ), build its imposing building. In 1872, the Maribor
Discount Bank and the Styrian Discount Bank were established. All these
financial German owned and they served a function in ethic srife, Thus,
Slovenians had also established two financial istitutions in Maribor. In
1882 a loan bank was founded , which had 1899 build the Narodni dom
( National Hall ). In 1908 in Central Styian Loan Bank was founded by
Slovenians.

Culture

In the first half of the XIX century, Maribor was as to culture, rather
inactive. In 1852, the teatre was built, somewhat later was the casino. It
was of extradionary relevance that in 1859, the seat of the Levantine
Bishopric os St. Andreas ( Andraž ) in Carinthia was transferred by the
bishop Anton Martin Slomšek to Maribor. In this way, Slovenian Styrians
came under its jurisdicton while a position of leadership in Slovenian Styria
was assred for Maribor. In 1863 to be issued. In 1861, Slovenians founded
their reading house. In 1877 »Slovenski Gospodar« began to be issued,
edited by Josip Jurčič and Anton Tomšič. Betwen 1872 and 1878 a
Slovenian family newspaer »Zora« was published while between 1872 and
1877 »Slovenski Učitelj« was printed. It is significant for Maribor thet the
Historical Society was founded in 1903, which began to publish »Casopis
za Zgodovino in Narodopisje« ( Journal for History and Ethnography ) a
year later. In 1899, Narodni Dom ( Nationa House ) was built, while at the
end of the XIX and at the begining of the XX in the city. With the nearing of
World War I, contradictions betwen nationalistically oriented Germans and
Slovenians became more acute. The first founded Schulverein at the end
of the XIX century, with the intent of germanisation by shooling, and
Südmark, which was to enable German immigration into Slovenian Styria
and the buing of land. The workers were bocoming more Austrian orented
as well.

The XX Century

Change and Events Betwern Two World Wars

The nationaly conscious activity by Slovenians reached its peak during
Worl War I, with the singing of the Maribor Declaration ( in 1915, which
requested the union of the Slovenian and Croatian peolpes).
And by the signing of the MAy Declaration in 1917 and 1918. At the end of
World War I, German Municipal Council had opted for the incrocorporation
of the city into Austria. Major Rudolf Maister, together with volunteers,
rose to arms against this and 1. November, 1918 took over military
authority in the city. On 23. November the Schultzwrehr ( Austrian armed
group ) was disarmed and the Slovenian ethnic frontier was taken. In the
beginning of 1919 the German city council was dissolved, The St.
Germanie Peace Treaty incorporated the greater part of Slovenian Styria
into Slovenia.
Between The two World Wars, Maribor firstly, in the period between 1922
and 1929, the seat of the Greater Mayorship of Maribor Region. After the
institution of provinces ( Banovina ), it was the seat of the district of the
Maribor Left Bank and Maribor Right Bank. After World War I, particurally
after the construction of the hydro-electric power stations near Fala, more
rapid industrialisation took place in Maribor. There were 15 larger textile
factories, particuraly in Melje, Pobrežje and Tabor. Metal prosessing
manufacturing was developed to a greater extent, and food processing
also underwent development.
Due to competition from manufakturing, crafts related, while commerce
stanated. In 1932 Maribor a fair, » Mariborski teden« ( Maribor Week ) was
initiaded, where the achievements of the Maribor economy were
demonstrated.
After Worl War I, the liberal Tiskovna Založba and the Church-influenced
Cirilova Tiskarna ( publishing houses ) were active. In 1936, a literary
journal under the name of »Piramida« began to be published, while in
1931 »Obzorja« followed . According to the population census, in 1921
( 21,4% ) of the population in Maribor were Germans, while in 1931 there
were only ( 8,3% ) left, becoming ever more nationalistically orentired.
They partycipated significantly in metal processing ( 42% ), as well as in
banking, crafts and commerce ( 41% ) .

World war II
In the middle of the 1930's when the presence of fascism and nazizm was
begun in Maribor.
Simultaneously, Maribor's Germans organised themselves ever more, their
»fifth collum« and vity becoming more efficacious, particilarly after the
Anshluss of Austria by Germany in 1938 and after the founding of the
Kulturbund, which prepared manner. On the terrain for the occupation of
Slovenian Styria in a planned manner.. On the attack upon Yugoslavia, the
German armed forces marched into Maribor as early as 8. April in the
morning hours, while the retreating Yugoslav armed forces delished all
bridges on the Drava.
The Nazis had begun, as April 1941, undertaking measures, aiming
towards germanisation and planning the expousion of Slovenians. The first
action against the occupators was undertaken by members of SKOJ, who
had, on 29. April , 1941, a few days after Hitler's visit to Maribor, set the
two German cars in Volkmerjev Prehod. During the intire occupation period
organised resistance against the occupier was taking place, though it
could not develop in full swing, due to brutal repression. During the
occupation , the Germans built an air plane motor factory in the Tezno
forest, while beggining the construction of a hydro-electric station above
the Mariborski otok ( Maribor's Island ) Due military manufacturing and
its significant location as to transportation., Maribor was bombed by the
allies 24 times. Thus, the city 47% of building's demolished or heavily
damaged . The last units retreated from the city on 9. May, when
Bulgarian units groups of Slovenians partisans and the Red army entered
the city, while Yugoslav Army units entered a day later.

Nationalisation and the Development of Manufacturing

After the War, all larger firms became public property.Thus the textile
industry amalgamated into Maribotska Tekstilna Tovarna., PIK and Svila,
Tovarna želežniških vozil Boris Kidrič was the heir to the bout from the
former railway workshops, Tovarna Avtomobilov Maribor came about from
the former aeroplane factory. Simillary, in the metal proccesing industry,
there came about; Metalna, Mariborska Livarna, Primat, Avtoobnova, and
Karoserist, while Hidromontaža was a new enterprise. In the field of
electrical manufacturing, Elektrokovina in Tezno and Tovarna stikalnih
naprav at Košaki came about. Zlatorog factory was the successor to the
former cosmetics products and cleansing agents factory. The nationalised
mills and the farinaceus food factory were transformed into the Intes food
processing enterpric, the former beer brewery becam Talis viz. The present
Mariborska pivovarna. A meat processing factory was the heir to the
sausage factory in Košaki. The hydro-electric power station at Maribor
Island gave an impetus to the post-war manufacturing. Mestna hranilnica
( City Saving Bank ) and Kmetijska banka ( Agricurtural Bank ), founded in
the 1950's amalgamated in 1965 in to the Kreditna Banka Maribor.